Tag: universe expansion
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A twist in the tale: are scientists wrong about dark energy?
Introduction: the mystery at the edge of the observable universe The cosmos continues to surprise us with its hidden complexities. Dark energy — a mysterious force thought to drive the accelerated expansion of the universe — has become a cornerstone of modern cosmology. Yet every breakthrough in science often raises new questions, and recent work…
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Universe Expansion Rate: Sharpening H0 Measurements
New precision in measuring the cosmos’ expansion In a landmark effort to pin down the rate at which the universe is expanding, a diverse team of astronomers has achieved one of the most precise independent measurements to date. By combining observations from a suite of ground- and space-based telescopes, including the W. M. Keck Observatory…
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Astronomers sharpen universe’s expansion rate, deepening cosmic mystery
Overview: A more precise measure of the universe’s speed Recent work by a diverse group of astronomers has yielded one of the most precise independent measurements of the Hubble constant, the rate at which the universe is expanding. By combining data from ground- and space-based telescopes—including the W. M. Keck Observatory atop Mauna Kea—the team…
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No Evidence of an Accelerating Universe: What a New Supernova Study Reveals
New findings challenge the standard view of cosmic acceleration In the ongoing quest to understand the expansion of our universe, astronomers have long relied on the light from Type Ia supernovae as cosmic mile markers. These stellar explosions act like standard candles, providing reliable distance measurements that help map how the universe has grown over…
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New Theory of Universe Expansion May Upend How We Look at the Cosmos
Rethinking Standard Candles in Cosmology For decades, astronomers have relied on Type Ia supernovae as standard candles—cosmic beacons whose brightness helps measure distances across the expanding universe. This method underpins calculations of the Hubble constant, the rate at which the cosmos stretches. Yet recent work from researchers at Yonsei University in South Korea challenges a…
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Dimmer Supernovae May Rewrite Our Universe’s Expansion
New Theory Challenges a Cornerstone of Cosmology A provocative new study from Yonsei University in South Korea asks a deceptively simple question: what if some supernovae are naturally dimmer than others? The team’s hypothesis is that the brightness of certain Type Ia supernovae—the standard candles astronomers rely on to measure cosmic distances—depends on the age…
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Edwin Hubble and the Standard Candle That Revealed the Universe
The Night That Transformed Astronomy On the night of October 5–6, 1923, the Mount Wilson Observatory near Pasadena became the stage for a turning point in science. Edwin Hubble, peering through the 100-inch Hooker telescope, glimpsed a faint smudge of light that would unlock an enormous question about the cosmos. What began as a tentative…
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Edwin Hubble and the Cepheid Breakthrough: Unveiling the Vastness of the Cosmos
Introduction: A Single Star’s Light Changes Our Worldview On the night of October 5–6, 1923, a star’s flicker would rewrite humanity’s sense of the cosmos. While peering through the 100-inch Hooker telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory near Pasadena, California, Edwin Hubble observed a faint smudge of light that would become a cornerstone of modern astronomy.…
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Edwin Hubble and the Discovery That Expanded the Universe: The Cepheid Standard Candle
Opening the Cosmos to a Vast Scale On the night of October 5–6, 1923, a breakthrough quietly unfolded at Mount Wilson Observatory in California. A young astronomer, Edwin Hubble, was meticulously examining the faint light of a distant smudge with the towering 100-inch Hooker telescope. What began as a routine set of photographic plates would…
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Funnel Diagram of the Big Bang: Why Scientists Use It
Not a Shape, But a Timeline The familiar funnel-shaped diagram used to illustrate the Big Bang is not meant to imply that the universe itself is cone-like. In science communication, the funnel is a timeline. It shows how the universe has grown, slowed, and then accelerated its expansion over 13.8 billion years. The narrow tip…